Joseph Tawadros

Joseph Tawadros
Tawadros at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards, Sydney, 26 November 2014
Tawadros at the 2014 ARIA Music Awards, Sydney, 26 November 2014
Background information
Born (1983-10-06) 6 October 1983 (age 41)
OriginCairo, Egypt
GenresJazz, world, classical
Occupation(s)Musician, composer
InstrumentOud
Years active1995—present
Websitejosephtawadros.com

Joseph Tawadros AM (born 6 October 1983) is an Egyptian-born Coptic Australian multi-instrumentalist and oud virtuoso.[1] Tawadros has won the ARIA Award for Best World Music Album seven times: 2012, 2013, 2014,[2] 2020,[3] 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Biography

Tawadros' family emigrated from Egypt to Australia when he was three.[4] Initially attracted to the trumpet, he decided to learn the oud when he was eight, after seeing a movie about Egyptian musician Sayed Darwish.[5] Elected School Captain at Randwick Boys High School, where he was taught by Derek Williams. Tawadros is classically trained, having completed a Bachelor of Music degree at the University of New South Wales, where he was awarded a Freedman Fellowship for Classical Music.[4] His brother James Tawadros is also a musician.[6] In the 2000s, Tawadros also studied in Egypt with violin player Esawi Dagher, son of the renowned violin player Abdo Dagher.[7] During the years that followed, Tawadros spent three months a year in Egypt and learned to play other instruments: the bamboo flute nay, the Arabic zither qanun and the cello.[5]

At the ARIA Music Awards of 2012, Tawadros won Best World Music Album for Concerto of the Greater Sea (February 2012).[8] He won the same category in 2013 for Chameleons of the White Shadow (February 2013), 2014 for Permission to Evaporate (May 2014) and 2020 for Live at the Sydney Opera House (June 2020). He also won Best Original Soundtrack, Cast or Show Album in 2017 for Ali's Wedding (September 2017).

Style

Joseph Tawadros' style is described as eclectic. According to Sydney Morning Herald, "he has taken the oud out of its traditional Middle Eastern setting and into the realm of classical music and jazz".[4] "I don't like to play in a particular genre, I love all sorts of music", Tawadros explains, "I try to record an album a year and one that's totally different from the previous album".[9] He has collaborated with musicians such as John Abercrombie, Jack DeJohnette, Roy Ayers, Bela Fleck, Joey DeFrancesco, Richard Tognetti and the Australian Chamber Orchestra,[10] and The Academy of Ancient Music.

Tawadros plays 52 instruments on his albums including oud, qanun, saz, violin, ney, Portuguese guitar, electric bass, kalimba and accordion. His brother James uses 11 percussion instruments.[6]

Discography

Albums

List of albums with selected details
Title Details
Storyteller
  • Released: 2004
  • Label: Versilia (VACD 104.2)
  • Format: CD
Rouhani
(With Bobby Singh)
  • Released: 2005
  • Label: ABC Classics (4768078)
  • Format: CD
Visions
(With James Tawadros)
  • Released: February 2006
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros (JT2005)
  • Format: CD, DD
Epiphany
(With James Tawadros and Ben Rodgers)
  • Released: March 2007
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros (JT2007)
  • Format: CD, DD
  • Live album
Angel
(With James Tawadros and Dimitri Vouros)
  • Released: December 2008
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros (JT2008)
  • Format: CD, DD
The Prophet
  • Released: March 2009
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros (JT2009)
  • Format: CD, DD
  • Note: Poems selected from The Prophet written in 1923 by poet Kahlil Gibran
The Hour of Separation
  • Released: June 2010
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD
Band of Brothers
(with Slava & Leonard Grigoryan and James Tawadros)
  • Released: March 2011
  • Label: ABC Classics (4764316)
  • Format: CD, DD
Concerto of the Greater Sea
  • Released: February 2012
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros (JT2012)
  • Format: CD, DD
Chameleons of the White Shadow
  • Released: February 2013
  • Label: ABC Classics (4810119)
  • Format: CD, DD
Permission to Evaporate
  • Released: May 2014
  • Label: ABC Classics
  • Format: CD, DD
Truth Seekers Lovers and Warriors
  • Released: April 2015
  • Label: ABC Classics (4811632)
  • Format: CD, DD
World Music
  • Released: March 2016
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD
Live at Abbey Road
(with James Tawadros)
  • Released: July 2017
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD
  • Live album
Ali's Wedding
(with Nigel Westlake, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Slava Grigoryan and Lior)
  • Released: September 2017
  • Label: ABC Classics
  • Format: CD, DD
  • Soundtrack album
The Bluebird, the Mystic and the Fool
  • Released: April 2018
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD
Betrayal of a Sacred Sunflower
  • Released: June 2019
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD
Live at the Sydney Opera House[11]
(with James Tawadros, Benjamin Northey and the Sydney Symphony Orchestra)
  • Released: 12 June 2020
  • Label: ABC Music
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
  • Live album
Hope in an Empty City[12]
  • Released: 9 June 2021
  • Label: ABC Music
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
History Has a Heartbeat
  • Released: 19 August 2022
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
Those Who Came Before Us
  • Released: 14 July 2023
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming
The Virtue of Signals
  • Released: 28 June 2024
  • Label: Joseph Tawadros
  • Format: CD, DD, streaming

Awards and recognition

Tawadros was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia in the 2016 Australia Day Honours.[13]

AIR Awards

The Australian Independent Record Awards (commonly known informally as AIR Awards) is an annual awards night to recognise, promote and celebrate the success of Australia's Independent Music sector.

Year Nominee / work Award Result Ref.
2014 Permission to Evaporate Best Independent Jazz Album Album Nominated [14]
2018 Live at Abbey Road Best Independent Jazz Album Album Nominated [15]
2020 Betrayal of a Sacred Sunflower Best Independent Classical Album Nominated [16]
2021 Live at the Sydney Opera House
(with James Tawadros, Sydney Symphony Orchestra and Benjamin Northley) 		Best Independent Classical Album or EP Won [17][18]
2022 Hope in an Empty City Best Independent Jazz Album or EP Nominated [19][20]

ARIA Music Awards

The ARIA Music Awards is an annual awards ceremony that recognises excellence, innovation, and achievement across all genres of Australian music. Tawadros has won seven awards from nineteen nominations.[21][22]

Year Nominee / work Award Result
2004 Storyteller Best World Music Album Nominated
2006 Visions (with James Tawadros) Best World Music Album Nominated
2007 Epiphany Best World Music Album Nominated
2008 Angel Best World Music Album Nominated
2010 The Prophet Best World Music Album Nominated
The Hours of Separation Best Jazz Album Nominated
2011 Band of Brothers (with Slava & Leonard Grigoryan & James Tawadros) Best World Music Album Nominated
2012 Concerto of the Greater Sea Best World Music Album Won
2013 Chameleons of the White Shadow Best World Music Album Won
2014 Permission to Evaporate Best World Music Album Won
2015 Truth Seekers, Lovers and Warriors Best World Music Album Nominated
2016 World Music Best World Music Album Nominated
2017 Live at Abbey Road Best World Music Album Nominated
Ali's Wedding (with Nigel Westlake, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Slava Grigoryan & Lior) Best Original Soundtrack or Musical Theatre Cast Album Won
2018 The Bluebird, The Mystic and the Fool Best World Music Album Nominated
2019 Betrayal of a Sacred Sunflower Best World Music Album Nominated
2020[23] Live at the Sydney Opera House Best World Music Album Won
2021[24][25] Hope in an Empty City Best World Music Album Won
2022[26][27] History Has a Heartbeat (with William Barton) Best World Music Album Won
2023[28] Those Who Came Before Us Best World Music Album Won
2024[29] The Virtue of Signals Best World Music Album Nominated

See also

References

  1. ^ Creagh, Sunanda (1 November 2006). "Joseph Tawadros – Gig Reviews". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 17 April 2010.
  2. ^ "Joseph Tawadros, ARIA Music Awards". www.ariaawards.com.au. ARIA Music Awards.
  3. ^ "And the 2020 ARIA Award Goes To..."
  4. ^ a b c Creagh, Sunanda (27 October 2012). "From ancient strings, a new mood for the oud". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  5. ^ a b "Long journey from Redfern to a world of musical riches for Joseph Tawadros". The Australian. 25 January 2013. Archived from the original on 8 May 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  6. ^ a b Shand, John (15 April 2016). "Joseph Tawadros review : Only eight instruments? he's not trying hard enough". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  7. ^ Metwali, Ati. 10 May 2021. 'World renowned Egyptian musician Abdo Dagher dies at 85'. Al-Ahram. Egypt.
  8. ^ Creagh, Sunanda (28 March 2013). "Oud player keeps good company". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 25 August 2013.
  9. ^ "The Dreamers. Joseph Tawadros". mapmagazine. Retrieved 1 September 2013.
  10. ^ ACO: Four Seasons. 19 March 2023. Australian Broadcasting Corporation.
  11. ^ "Live at the Sydney Opera House". Apple Music. June 2020. Archived from the original on 20 June 2020. Retrieved 14 June 2002.
  12. ^ "Hope in an Empty City". Apple Music. July 2021. Retrieved 14 June 2002.
  13. ^ "Mr Joseph TAWADROS". Australian Honours Search Facility. Retrieved 10 October 2024.
  14. ^ "CARLTON DRY AIR AWARDS 2014 NOMINEES ANNOUNCED". speaker tv. September 2014. Archived from the original on 11 September 2014. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  15. ^ "2018 AIR Awards Nominees". 17 April 2018. Retrieved 20 August 2020.
  16. ^ "2020 AIR Awards Nominees". scenestr. 7 July 2020. Retrieved 8 August 2020.
  17. ^ "Details confirmed for 2021 AIR Awards as nominees announced". The Music. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 2 June 2021. Retrieved 5 June 2021.
  18. ^ "2021 AIR Awards Winners". Scenstr.com.au. Retrieved 6 August 2021.
  19. ^ "Nominees Announced For AIR Independent Music Awards 2022". musicfeeds. 1 June 2022. Retrieved 1 June 2022.
  20. ^ Tyler Jenke (5 August 2022). "Genesis Owusu Wins Big At The 2022 AIR Awards". MusicFeeds. Retrieved 6 August 2022.
  21. ^ "ARIA Awards Search Results – Joseph Tawadros". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 26 April 2020.
  22. ^ "And the 2020 ARIA Awards Go To…". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 November 2020. Retrieved 13 December 2020.
  23. ^ "ARIA Awards 2020 Nominees". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 13 October 2020.
  24. ^ Kelly, Vivienne (20 October 2021). "ARIA Awards nominees revealed: Amy Shark & Genesis Owusu lead the charge". The Music Network. Archived from the original on 20 October 2021. Retrieved 24 October 2021.
  25. ^ "Genesis Owusu, The Kid Laroi, Spacey Jane, RÜFÜS DU SOL big winners at the 2021 ARIA Awards in partnership with YouTube Music". Australian Recording Industry Association. 24 November 2021. Retrieved 24 November 2021.
  26. ^ Lars Brandle (12 October 2022). "Rüfüs Du Sol Leads 2022 ARIA Awards Nominees (Full List)". The Music Network. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  27. ^ Newstead, Al (24 November 2022). "ARIA Awards 2022 Winners Wrap: Baker Boy Leads First Nations Sweep". Triple J (Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC)). Retrieved 25 November 2022.
  28. ^ "Nominees Announced for 2023 ARIA Awards". Music Feeds. 21 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
  29. ^ "ARIA Awards 2024 nominations — everything you need to know". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 26 September 2024. Retrieved 29 September 2024.